Williams: V&M tax-revenue deal is near

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Youngstown Mayor Jay Williams

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Girard Mayor James Melfi

Youngstown council voted to oppose a casino gambling issue on the November ballot.

By David Skolnick

YOUNGSTOWN — A deal with Girard to share tax revenue from a potential V&M Star Steel expansion will be done by late next week, Youngstown Mayor Jay Williams vowed.

Williams made the statements Wednesday even though Girard Mayor James Melfi said just a day earlier that the tax split is a “major obstacle” in getting a contract between the two cities finalized.

“By this time next week or the end of next week at the latest, we’ll have an agreement in place,” Williams said.

Williams and others involved in negotiations have said in the past that the deal would be done at certain times.

Despite failing to work out a deal with Girard and Melfi’s public comments about the two cities’ being far apart, Williams said Wednesday, “We believe we are very close to an agreement.”

To make his point, Williams mentioned comments by Girard Councilman Joseph Shelby, D-at large, in a Wednesday article in The Vindicator that the two cities are “very, very close. In a few days, it will be resolved.”

Williams said: “Most everyone wants this done. We’re on the same page with those who are in the meetings.”

Officials with the two cities had a closed-door meeting Wednesday night to discuss how a 2.75 percent corporate-profit tax would be shared if V&M Star Steel decides to build a $970 million expansion here.

A couple more meetings and a contract will be approved, Williams said.

V&M Star officials have repeatedly declined to discuss the potential expansion. But officials with Girard and Youngstown say the company wanted this deal finished a while ago.

V&M is expected to decide by December or January whether it will move forward with the expansion project here. The company would employ about 400 new workers.

Also Wednesday, Youngstown City Council voted 7-0 in opposition to Issue 3, a state constitutional amendment on the Nov. 3 ballot to build four gambling casinos in Ohio.

The casinos would be built in Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati and Toledo if approved by voters.

Mahoning County Democratic Party Chairman David Betras urged council to pass the resolution because the Mahoning Valley isn’t getting a casino.

“The issue isn’t whether you support or oppose gambling,” he said. “The issue is they passed us up.”

skolnick@vindy.com